Digital Commons Network^™

Debating The Self-Pardon: A Dialogue Of The Evidence For And Against The Constitutionality Of A Presidential Self-Pardon, Michael Conklin, Peter B. Bayer

Missouri Law Review

In light of recent events, the constitutionality of presidential self-pardons is set to potentially become one of the most pressing constitutional questions of the twenty-first century. This Article consists of a dialogue between two scholars regarding the evidence for and against the constitutionality of presidential self-pardons. By providing their best arguments for and against each side, readers are left better equipped to reach their own educated conclusions. The benefits of discussing this issue before anyone attempts to self-pardon are considerable, as doing so could contribute to solutions, potentially averting, or at least helping to resolve peaceably, a true constitutional crisis. …

Thoracic Aorta Calcification And Risk Of All-Cause Mortality And Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Yasir Salah Jumah Alam, Hussein Nafakhi, Alaa Salah Jumaah, Akeel Abed Yasseen, Zahraa Alaa Salah Alam, Ali Athir Abdulraheem

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

This review aimed to assess thoracic aorta calcification (TAC) as a predictor of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality across various clinical settings using different imaging modalities. Medical databases were systematically searched up to mid-July 2025 for studies linking TAC with mortality and CV outcomes. A total of 43 studies involving 176,738 participants were included. TAC was associated with higher risks of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.614), CV mortality (HR = 2.130), coronary events (HR = 1.423), major adverse cardiac events (HR = 2.011) and stroke (HR = 1.450. Computed tomography showed the strongest associations (all-cause mortality …

Microplastics In St. John, United States Virgin Islands Sediments: Methodological Approaches And Variability Of Microplastics Concentrations And Accumulation Rates, Henry B. Arbaugh, Sarah C. Gray, Dimitri Deheyn

Theses

Sediment samples were collected from a near shore and reef site in Coral Bay, St. John, United States Virgin Islands (USVI) from 2007-2016, using tube sediment traps. These samples provide an opportunity to study microplastics (MPs) in an area where no previous MP studies have been performed. Most sedimentary MP studies utilize benthic samples which can only measure MP concentrations (#MP/g or #MP/mL sediment), while sediment traps can provide MP accumulation rates (#MP/cm²/day) as a function of time. However, the methods used for extracting MPs from benthic samples have not been tested using sediment trap samples whose characteristics, …

Pengaruh Real Mismatch Terhadap Upah Pekerja Di Indonesia, Jawani Eka Pyansahcilia, Dwini Handayani

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

This study aims to analyze the effect of real mismatch on the wages of workers with medium and higher education levels in Indonesia using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method. The data used in this study are derived from the National Labor Force Survey (Sakernas) conducted in August 2023 to identify instances of mismatch and analyze its impact on workers' wages. In 2023, the incidence of vertical mismatch only was recorded at 14.58 percent, horizontal mismatch only at 31.73 percent, and real mismatch reached 25.24 percent. The estimation results indicate that workers experiencing vertical mismatch only receive a wage premium, …

Higher-Order Moment Risk Spillovers Between The Carbon And Energy Markets Under Climate Policy Uncertainty, Qiang Ji

Double Helix Methodology

Against the backdrop of increasing climate policy uncertainty, preventing cross-market risk contagion in the energy transition is crucial to ensuring energy security and effective risk management. First, this study uses the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity-skewness-kurtosis (GARCHSK) model to measure the higher-order moment risk of the carbon and energy markets. Then, based on the quantile spillover index model, the higher-order moment risk spillover effects and their time-varying characteristics in different risk states are characterized. Furthermore, the climate policy uncertainty index (CPU) is incorporated into the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity-mixed data sampling (GARCH-MIDAS) model to analyze its impact on higher-order moment risk …

The Linkage Of Emissions Trading System And Green Electricity Certificate Brings Economic Benefits In China, An Zeng, Hanchu Liu

Double Helix Methodology

Market-based instruments are becoming increasingly prevalent as crucial components of energy transition policy packages worldwide. Given the interdependence of these instruments, linkage mechanisms have become a priority for policymakers. However, existing literature primarily focuses on the impacts of individual trading systems, with limited attention paid to linkage trading mechanism. To fill this gap, this study proposes an improved centralized resource allocation data envelopment analysis model to simulate the linkage trading of the emissions trading system (ETS) and the green electricity certificate (GEC) scheme in China. A counterfactual scenario simulation is conducted using historical data from 2016 to 2020. The results …

Assessing The Coordination And Consistency Of The Policy System For Achieving China's Carbon Neutrality Goal Based On Text And Network Methods, Jinhua Xu

Double Helix Methodology

Lack of coordination and consistency in government policy-making has long been recognized as a weakness, yet its systematic quantification has been neglected. This study investigates this shortcoming by employing computational linguistics and network analysis tools to evaluate the coordination and consistency of climate policies in China through cross-referencing and collaboration among the State Council, ministries and local governments. A comprehensive dictionary of key policy terms and objectives from two key climate policies issued by the State Council, namely Opinions and Action Plan, was constructed to evaluate the succeeding 95 policy documents. The analysis of linguistic discontinuity provides insights into the …

Assessing Climate And Transition Risks To China's Agriculture Under 1.5 And 2.0 °C Global Warming Scenarios, Qiang Ji

Double Helix Methodology

China's agriculture faces dual risks from climate change and the transition to low-carbon agriculture, both of which pose substantial threats to food security and farmers' incomes. Understanding the trade-offs between these risks is essential to meeting climate goals and advancing sustainable agricultural development. This study establishes a comprehensive framework that integrates meta-analysis-derived parameters into the GTAP-E model to quantify the dual risks to China's agriculture under the 1.5 and 2 °C scenarios. The results indicate that under the 2 °C scenario, weaker mitigation efforts lead to higher climate risks, with maize production, prices, consumption, and self-sufficiency changing by about 1.5 …

Rethinking China's Power Decarbonization Pathway Under New Socioeconomic Uncertainties: A Multi-Objective Perspective Via Bottom-Up Modelling And Scenario Analysis, Pu Wang

Double Helix Methodology

The low-carbon transition of China's power sector is becoming increasingly complex under evolving global and domestic circumstances, including energy security concerns under geopolitical tensions, surging electricity demand, volatility from high renewable shares, and lock-in effects of existing coal-fired capacity. This study aims to assess how these emerging challenges reshape the decarbonization pathways of China's power sector and their implications for carbon and air pollutant emissions. We develop a bottom-up, multi-module simulation model that integrates the latest technological developments and evolving electricity demand patterns, and construct a rich set of scenarios based on alternative socioeconomic pathways and low-carbon power transition strategies. …

Influencing Factors And Forecasting Of European Union Allowance Price: A Comparative Study Using Machine Learning Models, Zengming Liu

Double Helix Methodology

The European Union Allowance (EUA) is acknowledged as a significant mechanism to motivate EU enterprises to decrease emissions and fulfill the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Investigating the influencing factors and forecasting trajectory of the EUA prices is hindered by the nonlinearity and non-stationarity characteristics of the EUA prices. This study dissects the intricate relationships of energy prices, financial market variables, and climate factors influencing the EUA prices by the use of Vector Autoregression (VAR), Granger causality tests, Impulse response function(IRF), and Newey-West OLS model. The forecasting results of EUA prices are compared using machine learning models involving BP …

Bridging Scale-Mismatch: Managing Neglected Anthropogenic Stresses On Environmental Sustainability On The Tibet Plateau, Jie Fan

Double Helix Methodology

Global plateau regions face intensifying anthropogenic activities, yet sustainability efforts are frequently constrained by uncertainties in stress assessment and mismatches between governance scales and environmental processes. To address this gap, we developed an integrated multi-source framework to assess anthropogenic stress, overcoming the limitations of traditional single-factor approaches. Empirical evidence from the Tibet Plateau indicates that although overall stress levels remain low, high-intensity stress exhibits notable clustering. This spatial heterogeneity is identified as the fundamental driver of governance scale mismatches. We further reveal compounded spatial and hierarchical mismatches between governance units and stressor distribution, evidenced by 48.6 % of township units …

Interpersonal Satisfaction And Classroom Silence In Chinese Universities: The Mediating Role Of Social Anxiety, Siguang Zhang

Double Helix Methodology

Introduction: Within Chinese universities, classroom silence, while culturally acceptable, may indicate underlying psychological distress that impedes academic engagement. Drawing upon social-cognitive theory, this study investigates whether social anxiety mediates the relationship between interpersonal satisfaction and students’ in-class silence. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 565 undergraduates from six Chinese universities examined interpersonal satisfaction, social anxiety, and three distinct behavioral indicators of silence (large-lecture, small-discussion, and laboratory contexts). Confirmatory factor analysis established convergent and discriminant validity; Cronbach’s α coefficients ranged from 0.86 to 0.91, demonstrating good internal consistency. A structural equation model (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized mediation pathway while …

Kerentanan Kemiskinan Di Sulawesi Selatan: Analisis Vulnerability As Expected Poverty Dan Klaster Spasial, Nur Hilda Triany

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

This study aims to analyze the determinants of poverty vulnerability in South Sulawesi by integrating spatial dimensions into risk estimation models. Using micro-data from the March 2024 National Socio-Economic Survey (Susenas) with individuals as the unit of analysis, this study applies the Vulnerability as Expected Poverty (VEP) and Local Indicator of Spatial Association (LISA) methods, estimated through an integrated logistic regression model. Empirical results indicate that while the average vulnerability is relatively low, risk distribution is highly concentrated in specific regional clusters. Key findings reveal that health insurance ownership and household assets are the dominant protective factors that drastically reduce …

Statute Meets Custom: Explaining Provincial Variation In Child Marriage After Indonesia’S 2019 Reform, I Made Yudisthira, Diahhadi Setyonaluri

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

This study investigates whether Indonesia’s 2019 Marriage Law reform, which raised the minimum legal age of marriage to 19, has been associated with lower child marriage prevalence. Using province-level aggregates from the 2022 Indonesian National Socio-Economic Survey (SUSENAS, N = 1,237,946), we distinguish documented and undocumented unions and estimate Ordinary Least Squares models with controls for poverty, education, assets, rural residence, religious composition, and marriage dispensations. Descriptive maps show prevalence is highest in South Kalimantan (18%), East Java (17%), and West Java (17%), with undocumented unions concentrated in West Nusa Tenggara (7%), Banten (5%), Papua (5%), and West Sulawesi (5%). …

Bibliometric Analysis Of Research On Women’S Labor Force Participation And Household Economics, Muhamad Dupi, Inayat Ullah Baloch

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

Studies of women labor participation (WLFP) and household economics have grown in size in the last two decades and more research and policy focus are given to gender equality, labor markets and household welfare. Nevertheless, the available literature is still in pieces by region, theme, and institutional settings and a complete bibliometric review of this area of study is yet to be done. The objective of the proposed study is to trace the world-wide literature on the topic of women participation in the labor force and household economics through the analysis of the patterns of publications, networks of cooperations, and …

Estimasi Proporsi Pekerja Anak Pulau Maluku & Papua: Pendekatan Small Area Estimation Hierarchical Bayes Distribusi Beta, Apriani Sofiana, Fauzana Afininnas, Fachrol Mochti, Angga Prayoga, Shafira Husna, Nofita Istiana

Jurnal Ekonomi Kependudukan dan Keluarga

Pekerja anak merupakan isu krusial yang memerlukan penanganan segera untuk mendukung pencapaian target pembangunan global. Pengentasan isu ini menuntut ketersediaan data yang akurat hingga wilayah kecil guna mendukung perumusan kebijakan yang tepat sasaran. Penelitian ini bertujuan menduga proporsi pekerja anak usia 5–17 tahun di kabupaten/kota Pulau Maluku dan Papua tahun 2024 menggunakan metode Small Area Estimation (SAE) Hierarchical Bayes (HB) distribusi Beta. Lima variabel penyerta dari PODES dan regsosek dipilih melalui stepwise regression dan dieksplorasi secara spasial. Hasil pemodelan HB Beta Pulau Maluku dan Papua menunjukkan sebagian besar wilayah masih memiliki RSE tinggi. Untuk meningkatkan presisi, dilakukan klasterisasi wilayah sebelum …

Strategic Hajj Communication To Enhance Public Trust And Financial Literacy: A Comparative Study Of Indonesia And Turkey, Thifal Yumna Nazihah, Abdullah Haidar, Yasminnasywa Iskandar

International Journal of Islamic Economics and Business Sustainability

Purpose – This study examines how strategic communication shapes public trust and financial literacy in Hajj fund governance, addressing scarce comparative evidence between fund-based and state-administered models. It contrasts Indonesia’s Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) with Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) to identify which communication elements strengthen pilgrims’ confidence.

Design/methodology/approach – A mixed-methods design combines content analysis of institutional communications with a survey of 320 prospective pilgrims (160 Indonesia; 160 Turkey). The Strategic Hajj Communication Model (SHCM) is developed with four pillars—Digital Outreach, Religious Narrative, Financial Education, and Digital Engagement—and linked to Public Trust (PT), Financial Literacy (FL), and …

Toward Green Hajj Finance: Esg Alignment In The Investment Strategy Of Indonesia’S Hajj Fund Management, Anisa Syahidah Mujahidah

International Journal of Islamic Economics and Business Sustainability

Purpose – This study assesses how far Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) values are integrated into the investment strategy of Indonesia’s Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH), and how an ESG approach can be strengthened while remaining consistent with Sharia principles and maqasid al-shariah.

Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative content analysis is conducted on BPKH annual reports, audited financial statements, and public disclosures from 2020–2023. The study proposes an Islamic-ESG coding framework that operationalizes environmental responsibility, social impact, Sharia compliance, and governance integrity within public fund investment decisions.

Findings – Governance dominates BPKH disclosures (around 60% of coded statements), emphasizing transparency, accountability, …

Developing A Welfare Index Based On Maqasid Shariah: Assessing The Contribution Of Hajj Fund Management In Indonesia, Agus Khoeron Fadli, Nugroho Bhanuaji Susanto, Fikri Rafif Nurcahyo

International Journal of Islamic Economics and Business Sustainability

Purpose – This study evaluates the welfare contribution of the Ummah’s Endowment Fund (Dana Abadi Umat, DAU) within Indonesia’s Hajj fund management by constructing a Maqasid Shariah-based Welfare Index (WI–DAU) to assess whether allocations translate into community welfare benefits.

Design/methodology/approach – Using Al-Najjar’s Maqasid Shariah framework, the research combines expert judgment and practitioner insights with the Analytic Network Process (ANP) to derive weights for welfare dimensions and program activities. The index is calculated from planned budgets and realized DAU allocations over 2018–2024.

Findings – The weighting results place safeguarding the physical environment as the most important dimension (0.299), while safeguarding …

Financial And Social Maslahah Efficiency Of Bpkh In Managing, Hapid Durohman, Nanik Shofiatin, Danial Muhammad Wirdyansyah

International Journal of Islamic Economics and Business Sustainability

Purpose – This study assesses the financial and social (maslahah) efficiency of Indonesia’s Hajj Fund Management Agency (BPKH) over 2018–2024, examining how effectively pilgrimage funds generate returns and public-benefit distributions consistent with Islamic finance principles and BPKH’s mandate.

Design/methodology/approach – An input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model under Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) evaluates the transformation of inputs—total managed funds and operational expenditures—into outputs: investment income, benefit disbursements to pilgrims, and allocations to social welfare programs. Data come from BPKH audited annual reports (2018–2024). Robustness is assessed using Bootstrap DEA and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) to test stability and cross-method …

Democracy And Environmental Sustainability: A New Study Based On Gdp Per Capita In Developing Islamic Countries (Oic), Basri Basri, Abdullah Abdullah, Herianti Herianti

International Journal of Islamic Economics and Business Sustainability

Purpose - This study investigates the moderating role of democracy in shaping environmental sustainability, measured by CO₂ emissions, across 35 developing member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Design/methodology/approach - A dual-model econometric framework is employed, combining the System Generalized Method of Moments (SYS-GMM) to address endogeneity and dynamic panel bias with the Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to capture both short-run dynamics and long-run equilibrium. This approach enables a nuanced analysis of how democracy conditions the effects of GDP per capita, agricultural productivity, and renewable energy on emissions.

Findings - The results reveal a complex and …

Negotiating Tradition And Modernity: An Ethnographic Study Of Leadership And Collaboration In Acehnese Islamic Higher Education, Basri Basri, Mujiburrahman Mujiburrahman, Mohammad Nasir, Muhammad Nazar

The Qualitative Report

This ethnographic study explored the relationship between State University Institutes (SUIs) and Ulama Dayah (Islamic scholars) as mutual co-existing beneficiaries in an Islamic educational organization in Aceh, Indonesia. While the relationship is characterized by a shared commitment to Islamic education, tensions simmer regarding leadership styles and the balance between tradition and modernity. This study is guided by the following research questions: (a) How do SUI leaders in Aceh perceive and manage the inherent tensions between upholding Islamic values and adapting to contemporary demands? (b) How do these leaders reconcile the potentially competing expectations of religious and secular stakeholders? (c) How …

Expressing Experiences Of Being Gender Non-Conforming In The “Ladies” Restroom Through Autoethnography-Based Research Poetics, Ellen D. B. Riggle

The Qualitative Report

Three research poems are created as an autoethnographic response to feedback on a research article on the author’s experiences as a gender non-conforming person in women’s public restrooms.  The feedback loop includes the sharing of lived experiences by others and theoretical (why?) discussions in the context of the gendered policing and politicalization of women’s restrooms.  The first found poem includes words, phrases, and descriptions of images used to label spaces designated as women’s restrooms.  The second prose poem recounts the author's experiences through a reframing of risk to women’s health, understanding the cultural context of male entitlement and White supremacy, …

Student Mentees’ Perceptions Of Research Proposal Mentorship Using The Critical Incident Technique, Hendrik Jacob Maruanaya, Corneles Rubenaser Apalem, Karolis Anaktototy

The Qualitative Report

This qualitative study explored how undergraduate student mentees in an English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) context perceive effective research proposal mentorship. Conducted within the English Education Study Program at Pattimura University, Indonesia, the study employed the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to capture student reflections on specific mentoring experiences. Seven undergraduate students who had completed their research proposals participated in in-depth interviews, sharing both effective and ineffective mentoring incidents. Thematic analysis reveals three key characteristics of effective mentorship: (a) supportive mentorship that fosters emotional safety and sustained motivation; (b) effective guidance, characterized by dialogic, actionable feedback and modeling of research practices; and (c) mentor …

In Pursuit Of Culturally And Socially Respectful Research: Relational Theory And Practice, Gregory Smith, Mark Hammersley, Leslie Stanley

The Qualitative Report

Our article supports researchers committed to culturally and socially respectful practices, irrespective of the setting. When involved in social research, we are challenged by differences in culture, society and individual experience. These differences impact directly on peoples we are seeking to support through research, on ourselves as researchers and the design and conduct of the research project. These can involve perplexing and demanding challenges to respectful practice. In recent decades social research methodologies have sought to respond to these challenges. We describe a framework of relational theory that supports research practices seeking to reflect the experiences, knowledges and priorities of …

Evaluation Of Large Language Models As Decision Support Tools For Head And Neck Cancer Management: A Blinded Multidisciplinary Simulation Study, Sholem Hack, Ron J. Karni, Antonino Maniaci, Christopher E. Fundakowski, Luca Castellani, Fabiola Incandela, Remo Accorona, Miguel Mayo-Yanez, Martina Violati, Lorenzo Giannini, Niccolo' Mevio, Alberto Maria Saibene

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The management of head and neck cancer relies on multidisciplinary expertise; however, access to tumor boards remains variable. Large language models (LLMs) may support guideline-based decision-making, although performance in complex oncologic scenarios is not well defined.

METHODS: Fourteen synthetic cases based on real tumor board encounters were evaluated. Five blinded comparator arms produced recommendations: a human expert, Non-RAG-GPT-4, Non-RAG-GPT-5, RAG-GPT-4, and RAG-GPT-5. Eight head and neck oncologic surgeons scored each recommendation for appropriateness, clarity, specificity, and feasibility using 5-point Likert scales. Paired permutation testing and inter-rater reliability were assessed.

RESULTS: LLM outputs showed close alignment with expert recommendations. RAG-based …

Preoperative Malnutrition Is Associated With Increased Postoperative Complications Following Lumbar Fusion: A Propensity-Matched Analysis, Omar Abdalla, Lorenzo Deveza, Noah Hodson, Ryan J Berger, Kevin Taliaferro

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Lumbar fusion (LF) is a common surgical intervention for degenerative spinal conditions but carries significant short- and long-term risks. Preoperative malnutrition, characterized by low serum albumin or leukocyte counts, impairs wound healing and increases susceptibility to infection, yet its influence on LF outcomes remains underexplored. This study evaluates the association between preoperative malnutrition and long-term postoperative outcomes following LF.

Methods: Adult patients undergoing LF between 2003 and 2023 were identified in the TriNetX US Collaborative Network. Malnutrition was defined as serum albumin < 3.5 g/dL or leukocyte count < 1,500/mm3 within 1 year preoperatively. A 1:1 propensity score match was performed for demographics, comorbidities, surgical approach, and body mass index (BMI), yielding two cohorts (n=20,693 each). Ninety-day and 5‑year postoperative outcomes were compared using hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: Malnourished patients experienced significantly higher 90‑day rates of transfusion (8.4% vs. 4.5%; HR 1.87, 95% CI: …

Representations Of "Black"-Type Coffins In The New Kingdom, Yunyao Chen

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines depictions of twenty-three owners’ “black”-type coffins depicted in tomb wall paintings from eleven Theban tombs and on eight Theban papyri dating from the Eighteenth Dynasty to the early Twenty-first Dynasty. Four research methods are employed: descriptive, analytical, comparative, and contextual. First, a stylistic and iconographic analysis identifies four phases in the evolution of the “black”-type coffins depicted in the funerary art and explores the factors that influenced these representations by comparing them with actual “black”-type coffins and relevant artistic representations. The results indicate that the representations of “black”-type coffins feature a distinct evolution pattern, which is based …

Reachability In Interactive Chemical Reaction Networks, Aberto Avila-Jimenez, Bin Fu, Elise Grizzell, Robert Schweller, Tim Wylie

Computer Science Faculty Publications

This paper studies the effects of interactivity on molecular computation, specifically in the Step Chemical Reaction Networks model (Step CRNs), by adding the ability for a user to interact with the system by selecting which species to add at each step, or by having some control over which reactions execute. The two proposed variants are Interactive CRNs and Randomized Interactive CRNs. We show that in Interactive CRNs, even when restricted to void (deletion-only) rules of relatively small size, if a user can decide which species to add at each step based on the configuration, reachability is PSPACE-complete when bounded and …

Russia’S Soft Power In Nahdlatul Ulama’S Art Exhibition Russia-Indonesia: Within The Framework Of Art, Nurul Rahmawati, Ahmad Fahrurodji

International Review of Humanities Studies

This study analyzes the construction of Russian cultural diplomacy in news media coverage of art exhibitions. Russia-Indonesia: Within the Framework of Art. The research uses the method Critical Discourse Analysis with Norman Fairclough's model and concept soft power Joseph Nye and the skeleton Taxonomy of Soft Power from Ohnesorge to map actor relations in cultural diplomacy practices. The results show that Russia utilizes art, religious symbols, and collaboration with Nusantara Utama Gallery and the involvement of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) artists as an instrument of soft power to build appeal and legitimacy among the Indonesian Muslim public through cross-media discourse …